Guest mr. potato head Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 UFC press conference in Toronto at 1 PM EST, with Dana, GSP, Shields, Aldo, Sean Pierson and others. TSN will be broadcasting it live, which speaks volumes about just how big 129 is going to be in this country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongrel Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Surely Rashad is too big to cut down to Middleweight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 If he cuts down his upperbody a little bit he would be fine, that and he is about the same size as Anderson Silva :/ Edit: He competed at 174lbs in wrestling at college as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolleje Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 - Otsuka is ranked #9 in the FightMatrix bantamweight top 10... (purely mathematical ranking so has from time to time some stranger results... Zach Machovsky of Bellator is ranked #8). (haven't seen him actually fight though). Bantamweight is still pretty thin btw... you have Cruz, Benavidez, Faber, Bowles, Torres and Jorgensen... I think most others are a bit lower... - Tyson Griffin & Kenny Florian to the featherweight ranks: woow! Aldo-Florian could be a nice fight! - Rashad Evans to middleweight would be nice too as light heavyweight is really stacked (in UFC). Middleweight contenders are less common (Okami is pretty much the only one who hasn't been destroyed by Silva yet). Evans vs Silva would be a good fight as Evans is a very good wrestler (something Anderson has struggled with...see Sonnen) and has good striking too... (well, Belfort has very good striking too and see where it brought him). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mr. potato head Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 I think Rashad is more likely to go to heavyweight. Mir, Lesnar, Dos Santos, Carwin, Velasquez, Noguiera...no shortage of big paydays in that division. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitzy Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Sure, big paydays and all, but he is too small to compete against those guys, so I think his mangers and himself will realize that's not the best idea for him. And Florian's first fight at featherweight is expected to be in June or July against Chad Mendes, which could be a good fight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 - Otsuka is ranked #9 in the FightMatrix bantamweight top 10... (purely mathematical ranking so has from time to time some stranger results... Zach Machovsky of Bellator is ranked #8). (haven't seen him actually fight though). Bantamweight is still pretty thin btw... you have Cruz, Benavidez, Faber, Bowles, Torres and Jorgensen... I think most others are a bit lower... FightMatrix, lol. I can think of Maeda, Pickett, Mighty Mouse and Wineland automatically at the top, and you choose Otsuka who in the past year has lost to Maeda, Miyata and Matsumoto and is (3-4) in his last 7 fights, hardly a contender for top 10 status in my mind. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieG Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Sure, big paydays and all, but he is too small to compete against those guys, so I think his mangers and himself will realize that's not the best idea for him. And Florian's first fight at featherweight is expected to be in June or July against Chad Mendes, which could be a good fight. Didn't stop him from winning the ultimate fighter. Seriously though yeah, competition at heavyweight now is much much stronger than it was in the show, as with his reputation he'll obviously be thrown in with JDS, Lesnar, etc.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Kiniski Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 If anyone's been on MiddleEasy today then they've already seen it, but there is an interview where Rashad is talking about his knee and the Jones/Rua fight and Rampage comes up. Evans claims that Rampage slapped him in the face in a club after the Rampage/Machida fight. Since I can't get embeds to work here: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolleje Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 FightMatrix, lol. I can think of Maeda, Pickett, Mighty Mouse and Wineland automatically at the top, and you choose Otsuka who in the past year has lost to Maeda, Miyata and Matsumoto and is (3-4) in his last 7 fights, hardly a contender for top 10 status in my mind. As I said, it's a purely mathematical ranking, so I didn't "choose" anyone. He's just ranked in their mathematical top-10, probably because his last three losses were two split decisions and one majority decision (which don't have so much impact on the rankings as KO or submissions). As he's 3-4 in his last 7 fights, you're right that he probably won't be picked up by UFC anytime soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 FightMatrix then uses a poor mathematical ranking system where someone who has lost to fighters, including unranked opponents is still considered a top ten fighter, despite being 1-3 in the last 4 fights. If a decision loss is not considered to have a severe impact on his ranking, why are his decision wins considered such to maintain his position in the top ten? His last win by finish was in May 2008 almost three years ago. and since then he has gone 5-5 and every fight he has been a part of has finished by decision, how is this considered a top ten fighter, even in a weaker and less developed weight class like bantamweight? If so then I have no idea how we would rank and rate fighters in MMA. Hence: "FightMatrix, lol" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunnar hendershow Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Evans dropping to Middleweight would create a huge money match against Silva, but if he loses that fight then there's nothing for him to do in the division besides tread water. Light Heavyweight is stacked, and a return bout between Evans and Rampage would do well. Furthermore, there's Evans-Machida II, Evans-Griffin II, Evans-Couture, and if they get desperate Evans-Ortiz II. Not to mention Evans-Rua, and if Rua retains you have to think Evans is next in line. At MW after losing to Silva all he can do is plow through the Nate Marquardts of the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolleje Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 FightMatrix then uses a poor mathematical ranking system where someone who has lost to fighters, including unranked opponents is still considered a top ten fighter, despite being 1-3 in the last 4 fights. If a decision loss is not considered to have a severe impact on his ranking, why are his decision wins considered such to maintain his position in the top ten? His last win by finish was in May 2008 almost three years ago. and since then he has gone 5-5 and every fight he has been a part of has finished by decision, how is this considered a top ten fighter, even in a weaker and less developed weight class like bantamweight? If so then I have no idea how we would rank and rate fighters in MMA. Hence: "FightMatrix, lol" His (last three) decision wins were all unanimous, that's better then split or majority. That probably helped his ranking... But indeed... it's a bit strange that he still makes it into the top-10. However, have you actually taken the effort of checking out the rankings before you defined them as 'poor'? Have you read the goal and the matrix used to rank the fighters? I think there is not one better mathematical (and thus objective) ranking available for MMA now... so I kind of use that one as my basis to rank fighters. Sure, some things need adjustments but ok... If you find a better one, please share with the rest of us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 FightMatrix then uses a poor mathematical ranking system where someone who has lost to fighters, including unranked opponents is still considered a top ten fighter, despite being 1-3 in the last 4 fights. If a decision loss is not considered to have a severe impact on his ranking, why are his decision wins considered such to maintain his position in the top ten? His last win by finish was in May 2008 almost three years ago. and since then he has gone 5-5 and every fight he has been a part of has finished by decision, how is this considered a top ten fighter, even in a weaker and less developed weight class like bantamweight? If so then I have no idea how we would rank and rate fighters in MMA. Hence: "FightMatrix, lol" His (last three) decision wins were all unanimous, that's better then split or majority. That probably helped his ranking... But indeed... it's a bit strange that he still makes it into the top-10. However, have you actually taken the effort of checking out the rankings before you defined them as 'poor'? Have you read the goal and the matrix used to rank the fighters? I think there is not one better mathematical (and thus objective) ranking available for MMA now... so I kind of use that one as my basis to rank fighters. Sure, some things need adjustments but ok... If you find a better one, please share with the rest of us! I don't know a better ranking system, but all ranking systems in MMA are fairly redundant anyway, as the rankings do not determine title shots like they do in boxing, its down to promotion rather than governing body recognition of world ranking position, hence you do not see all top 5 fighters facing each other as fighters fight promotionally, not internationally. It is hard to rate Fighter A who fights in Japan where the rules vary to Fighter B who fights in America and unless one fighter moves promotion, we will not find out the answer. MMA ranking systems are far too subjective to be subjected to a mathematical ranking system which has basic flaws based on the inability to draw comparisons as readily as in boxing. So again, FightMatrix, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Kiniski Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Evans dropping to Middleweight would create a huge money match against Silva, but if he loses that fight then there's nothing for him to do in the division besides tread water. Light Heavyweight is stacked, and a return bout between Evans and Rampage would do well. Furthermore, there's Evans-Machida II, Evans-Griffin II, Evans-Couture, and if they get desperate Evans-Ortiz II. Not to mention Evans-Rua, and if Rua retains you have to think Evans is next in line. At MW after losing to Silva all he can do is plow through the Nate Marquardts of the world. At middleweight he can fight Bisping again (which would sell well easily), Sexyama, Wandy, Leben, Belfort and even Okami. All of those could pose a threat to Rashad in some way and easily fill a co-main event slot (possibly a headline with W. Silva). Then you have Anderson/Evans which would be huge. I'd be stoked to see Evans/Sonnen as well. I doubt we'd see him facing Marquardt or Stann though as they are all Jackson fighters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 I really hate the Jackosn fighters refusing to fight each other, their camp seems to be the worse at this as even recently we have seen fighters leave their regular gym for a camp to fight one of their regular teammates. Hell Pat Barry recently came out and said he would fight Pat Barry if need be. it just seems every time Rashad has a teammate high up at 205 (Jardine and now Jones) he is like "Oh I will never fight them" rather than giving the fans what they probably want and deserve, a fight between two of the top guys in that division. I understand if they truely are great friends, but come on Rashad, man up and fight Jones for the bloody title if it becomes a reality, you plum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mr. potato head Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Hell Pat Barry recently came out and said he would fight Pat Barry if need be. But there was little risk in saying that because I doubt UFC would ever ask him to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 As nuts as he is, I meant Matt Mitrione. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolleje Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 I would love to see Pat Barry fight Pat Barry though... I see it ending in split decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Majority draw with 4 broken hands and 4 broken feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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